It’s no secret that the world of running has changed.
Times are getting faster, technology is getting better, and training methods are getting more advanced.
One key player in this running revolution has been the rapid rise of super shoes.
These carbon-fiber creatures have undoubtedly brought the sport to the next level, with records falling more often and the depth in strength of runners growing.
But how much has the sport really changed since the introduction of super shoes, and how much faster are records falling? Are they falling so fast that we need a super-shoe-adjusted record list?
The Evolution of Super Shoes
Before we dive into how super shoes are changing the running world as we know it, it’s important to understand the history of super shoes.
The exact moment the super shoe revolution began really depends on who you ask, but a pivotal moment in the timeline was the Breaking2 race in May 2017.
It was at this time that Nike unveiled the Vapourfly Elite, a project they had quietly been working on since 2014. Olympic gold medalist Eliud Kipchoge went on to narrowly miss the sub-two-hour barrier, running an unofficial world record of 2:00:25.
Later that year, Nike released the Vapourfly 4% to the public after research findings concluded that the shoe improved running efficiency by four percent. The chunky-soled carbon-plated shoes were a significant departure from the more traditional marathon flat.
In September 2018, when Kipchoge broke Dennis Kimetto’s 2014 world record by 78 seconds, all eyes were on his feet, donning a prototype of the Vapourfly Next%. In 2019, when Brigid Kosgei broke the long-standing women’s marathon world record by 81 seconds, she was seen wearing the same shoe.
One year later, in October 2019, Kipchoge broke the sub-two-hour barrier at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, running 1:59:40, an unofficial world record. On his feet were none other than a prototype of the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next%. This was also just one day before Kosgei clocked her own world record, also donning a pari of Nike super shoes.
It wasn’t until January 2020 when World Athletics stepped in to put some regulations in place amidst concerns of the impact of Nike’s super shoes on the integrity of the sport. Shoes were now required to have been available to the public for at least four months (unless granted an exception), have a sole thickness no greater than 40mm, and were only allowed to have a single rigid (usually carbon fiber) plate.
One month later, Nike released the Alphafly Next%, confirming that it complied with all the new World Athletics rules.
This cascade of events by Nike made waves in the running world with brands playing catch up to produce their own version of Nike’s success. The closest, to date, has been the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1, which was donned by Tigst Assefa when she broke the world record at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
How Fast Have Times Dropped?
To understand the impact super shoes are having on marathon times, it’s more important to look at the middle of the pack elite runners, rather than the world record holders themselves (because let’s be honest, a super talent like Kiptum or Kipchoge is an anomaly).
Here’s a progression of the 1000th best marathon times for both men and women, up until 2019, when super shoes became the new normal.
Men’s 1000th Fastest Time Progression
| Year | 1000th Fastest Time |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 2:19:59 |
| 2015 | 2:20:00 |
| 2016 | 2:20:07 |
| 2017 | 2:20:14 |
| 2018 | 2:20:02 |
| 2019 | 2:17:59 |
Women’s 1000th Fastest Time Progression
| Year | 1000th Fastest Time |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 2:51:42 |
| 2015 | 2:49:54 |
| 2016 | 2:49:29 |
| 2017 | 2:50:16 |
| 2018 | 2:49:01 |
| 2019 | 2:44:58 |
Should We Have A Super-Shoe-Adjusted Record List?
Super shoes have undoubtedly brought the sport to a new level, but to put an exact number on that is challenging. What make is so difficult is the large number of factors changing and improving, such as training methods, recovery, and nutrition, alongside individual response to super shoes.
The generally accepted figure available in the current research suggests that super shoes make elite runners 2 percent faster, thanks to their 2.7 to 4.2 percent energy savings.
So, what would the world record list look like if we adjusted it to account for that 2 percent?
| Athlete | Actual Time | Adjusted Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kelvin Kiptum | 2:00:35 | 2:03:00 |
| Eliud Kipchoge | 2:01:09 | 2:03:35 |
| Kenenisa Bekele | 2:01:41 | 2:04:07 |
| Sisay Lemma | 2:01:48 | 2:04:14 |
| Benson Kipruto | 2:02:16 | 2:04:43 |
| Birhanu Legese | 2:02:48 | 2:05:15 |
| Mosinet Geremew | 2:02:55 | 2:05:22 |
| Timothy Kiplagat | 2:02:55 | 2:05:22 |
| Dennis Kimetto | 2:02:57 | 2:02:57 |
| Evans Chebet | 2:03:00 | 2:05:28 |
| Gabriel Geay | 2:03:00 | 2:05:28 |
| Athlete | Actual Time | Adjusted Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tigst Assefa | 2:11:53 | 2:14:31 |
| Sifan Hassan | 2:13:44 | 2:16:25 |
| Brigid Kosgei | 2:14:04 | 2:16:45 |
| Ruth Chepngetich | 2:14:18 | 2:16:59 |
| Amane Shankule | 2:14:58 | 2:17:40 |
| Paula Radcliffe | 2:15:25 | 2:15:25 |
| Worknesh Degefa | 2:15:51 | 2:18:34 |
| Sutume Kebede | 2:15:55 | 2:18:38 |
| Tigist Ketema | 2:16:07 | 2:18:50 |
| Rosemary Wanjiru | 2:16:14 | 2:18:58 |
Using a two percent adjustment, Dennis Kimetto’s 2014 world record would still stand and Paula Radcliffe’s 2003 record would be second fastest. So, have we gotten faster, or has technology just gotten better?
